Chia Grows Over The TV

Finding no time to write for each film, here's a plain list of my favorites from yesteryear. 

10. Young Adult

10. Warrior

10. Bellflower

7. Submarine

6. Midnight In Paris

5. The Kid With A Bike

4. Martha Marcy May Marlene

3. Moneyball

3. 50/50

1. Drive

The World Is Dark And We Are The Lights

I have always loved luscious string arrangements, but Jeremy takes it to another level. The last 30 seconds are so intense, it's impossible to not get goosebumps. You don't need metal riffs and double bass to write powerful music. 


This is how life sounds.

Traveller Mechanical

"Here are your tickets, sir. Approach to gate 16H." 

"Thanks."

I pick up two luggage tags from the tray on the desk and fasten them around the backpack and the guitar case. 

The airport air is still very unnerving to me. I turn towards the entry gates of the terminal to get one last look of the city again. The essence, at least. The rickshaws. The taxis. People hugging each other. A rickshaw stops in front of a couple who're probably seeing their parents off. The 30-somethings get into the rickshaw and wave goodbye. The 60-somethings wave back.

There's always that teenager who wants to prove that he's strong enough to be on his own. The father engulfs his son in his embrace and closes his eyes. The boy just stands there. When his father lets go, he gets behind the trolley and rushes in, straight to the check-in counter. Judging by the three suitcases, he's leaving home for university. He doesn't look around - there's nothing to be seen... he knows that his dad is waving goodbye behind his back but he doesn't turn because he's 18 and he thinks that he's too old to cry at an airport.

The screen flashes "Security" for my flight number. I take my wrist watch and push it inside the outer flap of the backpack. Standing in the line for security check, I put on my earphones and try to stop thinking. Airports. For some reason, there's no music that is even remotely appropriate for these places. Fortunately, soon enough, I'm in front of the line. I take a tray for my laptop, roll my luggages in and walk through the sensors. I get up on the pedestal and stretch my arms.

I'm a traveller. I'm mechanical. My eyes are eyes and nothing else. They don't hold on to things. Soon, I'll board the flight and I'll be out of this city. In a few hours, I'll be somewhere else. Muscles and bones. Nothing less, nothing more. It's only wise to pretend that I have no heart. The coffee, the conversations, the malls, the people, the pictures, the roads, the homes, the arms around my shoulder and the hands to hold... the airport air is recycled and I'm travelling light.

I opted for an aisle seat so that I don't look down the window. 

Buckley, Sit.

1) The Royal Tenenbaums
     Directed By Wes Anderson
     2001
     Rotten Tomatoes - 80% 
     Imdb - 7.6


It's sort of ridiculous that I lowballed the genius of Wes Anderson all this while. Everyone who knows me well would know how much I loved his 2010 stop-motion venture Fantastic Mr.Fox. Clever dialogues, Exquisite detailing, I remember that when I saw that movie for the second time, I would pause at every second scene to soak up the visual jokes. I rather smile throughout a movie rather than laugh at a handful of scenes. Fantastic Mr.Fox was just... fantastic. 

A few days ago, on my trip to Bombay, a friend gave me The Royal Tenenbaums and I have seen it 5 times since that day. Stellar star-cast, stellar performances, just about everything I liked about Fantastic Mr.Fox but better.


The story is about an upper-middle class family settled in the beautiful city of New York. Royal Tenenbaum(Gene Hackman), a failed litigator who marries Etheline Tenenbaum(Angelica Huston) and has 3 kids in a decade -  The elder son, Chas Tenenbaum(Ben Stiller), an adopted daughter, Margot Tenenbaum(Gwyneth Paltrow) and the younger son, Richie Tenenbaum(Luke Wilson). Royal and Etheline separate because of Royal's infidelity and Etheline, as a single mom, takes care of her three children. The Tenenbaum trio are famous for their success - Chas has a keen interest in international finance and is successful at real estate at the age of 12, Margot is a playwright and has written a number of hit plays, and Richie is a champion tennis player. Because of a sudden change, the charm of the Tenenbaums fades into the oblivion.

22 years later, Royal tries to win back his family with a lie. His only help being his faithful Indian servant Pagoda, who keeps him updated about the happenings at the Tenenbaum house. Little does Royal know that his family has disintegrated in his absence - Chas faces a terrible tragedy when his wife passes away in a plane crash, which makes him unnervingly cautious and possessive about his two sons Ari and Uzi and their pet dog Buckley. Margot has not written a play in 7 years after a string of failed relationships and is married to a much older Psychologist Raleigh St.Clair(Bill Murray). Richie's professional Tennis carrier is on a downhill since he suffers from depression. As things unfold, Royal's lie and his will to bring his family back together will be tested.


It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this is the opus Wes Anderson wanted to make post Rushmore. Every scene oozes with wit, charm and brilliance. Wes's unique way of looking at the world is nothing short of extraordinary. Gene Hackman shines in the role of Royal Tenenbaum, shuffling from the agitated to the witty moments with such finesse that he seems too real to be in a movie. Ben Stiller and Luke Wilson are so charming that it's tough to imagine them in any other role. Gwyneth Paltrow is gorgeous and has a surprisingly strong screen presence. 

Regardless of how funny The Royal Tenenbaums is, the story is evidently about love in its most strangest and peculiar forms. By the end of it, you'll realize that it's deeper than it appears to be.


Note - Instead of one gigantic post, one film per post is much more readable, I guess. So here was the first of the list. This isn't a rank or anything, the movies will be in no order whatsoever. I'm just so deeply obsessed with this movie right now that I had to write about it. Will try to wrap up the list soon.


Until then,
Au revoir.

Film Noir

There's this new coffee place that opened up last year. I've ignored it all this while 'cause everyone told me that it's super pricey. I decided to give it a try today and damn do they make a sweet latte. 

I just couldn't take a sip for a while. It was so frustrating. Nonetheless, the coffee was just perfect. 

I've been emotionally prepping myself for the upcoming month. So much to do, so much to happen, not ruling out the ever-present uncertainty. I've also come to the realization that pain never fades away, you just make room for it. Also - coffee is a solution to every problem. From inflation to bad grades, everything. Just go to a coffeeshop and spend some time alone with a cup of coffee. 

It just takes one sip to feel like the delegate of Awesomeness.  

Things I Would Have Said

I would have said that you're the rain that makes me close my eyes. 

You are the tears I've been meaning to cry. 

I would have said that the worst thing you can do to anyone is just leave. You don't get to do that. Come into someone's life, make them care and then just check out. That is not okay no matter what the reason might be.

I would have said that I didn't write you a song, I painted you a picture of my heart. It's flawed but it's still living.

I would have said that...

Have you felt that way? When you're just not conscious of the moment you're in, you're moving around a place you've never been to before, just killing time. She's walking beside you and you look down at her, then look around at all the people and all the lights, and realize that there's nothing that glows brighter than her? 

It's Just A Piece Of Paper, Em.

Inspired from Brick.

"So... how are things?" said the shrill voice on the phone line.

"Status quo." He replied.

Brendan played with the phone cord as he sat on a broken chair in the basement. It wasn't too long ago when he packed his things in a box and decided that his room upstairs was too pleasant for him. He found a strange kind of comfort on the wrought iron bed under the flickering flashbulb.

He stretched his leg and pushed the spanner lying on the concrete floor while listening to the sound of Emily's breath on the phone. "What about you?" - He mustered a sound and spoke. There was no reply. "Em?" 

"I'm here. See you at Stan's at 6?"

Brendan was more than surprised. He pushed his glasses up with a finger and stood up. 

"What?"

"Stan's? At 6?"

Brendan took a deep breath and saw himself in the cracked mirror rested by the stairway. His eyes were barely visible under his thick hair.

"I'll be a little late. See you there."

"And Brendan?".

"Yeah?"

...

Brendan moved back to his room later that afternoon. He went down to the local saloon to get a haircut. He looked at himself on the mirror and smiled as lumps of hair fell on the sheet around his neck. Snip, snip, snip. His heart and his head felt lighter.

To be continued.








-- "No idea why I wrote this. I just felt like writing something. I have no clue about how I'm going to continue. I don't have a story to tell on the first place. Although, I would like to get back to it and just play around a little more. No time to think, there's a lecture in 5. Take care. Bye. :D"

Let Me

The cold winter breeze is crashing in
My words couldn't say it all.
I look out and though my eyes are tired,
they find you.
They always do.


Maybe the walls will come crashing in
as I resolve that I won't let it happen-
the words will stay, no escaping from my lips
Instead, I'll make you something so beautiful
As close as I can get to myself
and as far as I can reach to you
What I'll draw for you wouldn't compare to you
for you're so much more than just beautiful.
I'll close my eyes and maybe come to terms with it
This calm and serene aura is not nature's doing
It's not the clouds-
It's your shadow over me.


Sooner than later,
Your thoughts will come crashing in.


I guess I'll just
stare out the window, aimlessly.
Maybe the breeze will do the trick
and the thoughts would swell,
swirl in front of me
and freeze.




Sooner than later,
the warmth of my breath will suffice
It will all melt away and form into you.


I'll draw closer
Don't you move.


Maybe you'll let me -
If you do, I hope the breeze does the trick
Time would swirl in front of us and stop
As I'll hold you close
and freeze.


Don't you move, love.
Don't you say a word.
Don't you budge an inch.


When the time is right
And this coldness will go away
I really hope that you stay. 
I hope you'll be standing right here
As I'll get on my knees with my guitar
and your eyes will become my voice.

Bury The Floors

Let me just geek out about this band one last time. Please.

To be honest, their last album came into my life at a really wrong time. I did enjoy the record a lot, but what kept it from becoming my favorite record of the year was probably the timing.


Although, I wouldn't change anything. A tweet by Sanjana about how Scattered Trees was her most played artist this year bought me back to the album and I've been playing it on loop ever since. It's sad that I make my year end lists in October. Moving Mountains was extremely influential JUST because of the time I started listening to their CD. For all I know, Bon Iver wrote a much more intelligent album. Timing is a bitch. 

Maybe the reason why Scattered Trees is suddenly so much more important is because... it's been with me through out the year. It has been a weird year but I started doing things I had always dreamt of, so I wouldn't complain. Nate Eiesland, the frontman of Scattered trees conveys through the album that in a lifetime, everyone goes through an inevitable stage where life makes them take an uncomfortable look at who they have turned into. I relate to that. SO much of this life is utter bullshit, that all we ever have is who we are. I don't even completely know what he's saying sometimes because all of this, everything is so back-and-forth slash wishy-washy or whatever, that things keep changing. I suppose all he means to say is, we should change just because we want to. 


Though it might sound like a gross exaggeration, I don't know where I would be if I didn't get to know Scattered Trees this year. Five Minutes and Bury The Floors are two of the best songs written in recent years. If that does sound like a gross exaggeration, I guess it probably is. But if I had to exaggerate about something I wouldn't mind at all, it's this. It's an album about death and how everything that happens makes you change. Nate Eiesland is apologetic throughout the record and somehow, things fall into place by the end of this gem of an album that it is. 

Vesuvius

It's the magic of feeling something, yes

A dream that nobody sees but I

It's a different time, yes

but how different are you and I?

The water still sparkles a million times

The sun still sets behind the horizon

I am still the earth

You are still the sky.

This memory is everything.

Without it, we're blind

Without it, we leave the fate

of our world to chance.

The night is settling in.

As the sky, your hue turns blue

See the earth pay the due

as the dew settles down

the duet begins again.

Must I trap this inside my ribs?

As the stars stare down at you in witness,

This is me for you

For this midnight

and all the midnights to come.